Silent Laughter
by The Little Blue Fairy
Summary: ..The perimeter of the room was lined with candle stands, with all the candles burning, giving the room a red, orange glow.  At the far corner was a daybed, draped with gorgeous fiery red fabrics embroidered with gold, on them a man lay slouched, leaning on a pile of cushions.  "Hello" the man said, his voice slow, but seeming to bite into her soul "I hear you are the one..."
1. Dancing Laughter

**Ok, Here it is Ili, Hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I just read Fanylinnorses' story Hearts of The Innocent and mine is really similar-I did read the first couple of lines which inspired me for this story but I DEFINITELY didn't copy hers**

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Running, Dancing, Spinning, Laughing, Jumping, Singing.

She fell onto the grass laughing, the suns rays warming her bare feet like a warm fire.

She laughed again,her laughter seemed to dance in the air before fading into silence, everything seemed perfect, she felt so free and merry.

She sat up, and waited, where was he? He told her that he would meet her here. She sat in silence waiting and hoping,

Were was he?

Akin should be here by now? Has anything happened to him?

These thoughts crowded into her mind, worrying her. She had left the sunny field long ago, it was dark now. She walked down the street and walked into a park, and sat on a bench. There was something next to her on the bench, she couldn't see it but she could feel it. She felt it. It was a rose, its petals were soft and smooth, like velvet. It felt like it was left there for her. Tthe moon slid from behind a cloud, lighting up the rose, the little drops of mist sparkling in the moonlight.

Azure was alone, she felt sad, like the fire inside of her had been extinguished, dampened by water. Azure felt the rose again ,it's satiny, velvet feeling and coolness seemed to calm her.

"Azure"

"Akin?" she said her spirits lifting

Azure felt a hand on her shoulder she turned, but as she turned something felt wrong, the hand was not gentle, it was hard, heavy on her shoulder, and the voice-it sounded hoarse. Turning in fear she saw a figure behind her.

"W-what do y-you want?" whispered Azure, shivering partly with cold but mostly in terror,

"What do you think?" said the hooded figure, his voice slicing through the mist. Azure then noticed through the mist that there was a crowd of hooded figures.

The hooded figure gave some sort of signal to the other figure, and two more figures floated through the mist, they grabbed Azures arms, and lifted her off the bench, their grasp feeling like it was going to break Azures arms.

"**AKIN**,"screamed Azure"**Akin-HELP!**"

"Akin can't help you now" said another figure

"What have you done with him!" she screamed"Help!"


	2. Silent Crying

Groggily Azure opened her eye's, they stung, her head was throbbing .

"Someone help" she cried her lips cracked, and her head feeling terrible, the sound of rats scurrying away from her in the darkness made Azure's imprisonment unbearable.

It was pitch black, and smelt musty, it felt like the darkness was closing in around her trying to suffocate her. She did not know why she was here, her only memory of days gone bye, marred by the musty darkness. Suddenly a door somewhere creaked open, trying to see who it was, Azure fell over, she realized her hands and feet were bound with a strong twine that was digging into her flesh, biting her skin.

"Hello" hissed a voice coming from somewhere next to her ear, Azure tried to twist away in vain, someone else grabbed her from behind and bent her legs into a kneeling position. "What do you w-want with me?" she said her voice trembling.

From somewhere in front, a candle flickered to life, the usually warm glow that would have been comforting, seemed even to be hard, cold, and intimidating.

A man, in a cloak held the candle in his hand, cracked and swollen, the hood draped over his head.

He limped closer to her, and closer, until his face was close enough to Azures' she could have touched him. He smiled, his teeth yellowed and crooked, the foul odor of decaying meat on his breath made Azure stagger.

"Take her away" He croaked, his crackling voice telling of his dark and lost past.

Two more men, came forth out of the dank darkness and loosened her bonds, and roughly pulled Azure to her feet. Leaning mostly on the men, relying on their strength to hold her, they dragged her feet on the cold stone floor.

Why have you kidnapped me?" whimpered Azure to her captors

"Shut up if you know whats good for you" hissed one of the men in her ear.

The men took Azure into a dimly lit room, the perimeter of the room was lined with candle stands, with all the candles burning, giving the room a red, orange glow.

At the far corner was a daybed, draped with gorgeous fiery red fabrics embroidered with gold, on them a man lay slouched, leaning on a pile of cushions.

"Hello" the man said, his voice slow, but seeming to bite into her soul "I hear you are the one."

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**Iliana11: Thanks for your review, I'm glad you liked it!**

**Delia Anole: Thanks for your advise, I will change all mistakes!**


	3. A Dancing Light

"W-why am I-I here" Azure said to the man trembling.

The 'man' was dressed in an Indian style dress, with a turban wound around his head, his attire blending into the elaborate fabrics draped over his daybed.

The man sat up, picking up a lantern positioned on the ground next to over to a candlestick, he used the candle to light the lantern.

"You" he said walking closer and gesturing to the candle "you, are like this flame, Akin is the candle, and I? I am like the lantern."

"What have you done with Akin" Azure yelled at the man.

"SSshh" he whispered "you'll blow out the candles"

"**What have you done with him**!" Azure screamed at him, his cool demeanor aggravating her more.

"Do you want Akin? Such a pity-you'll have to listen to me first."

"And then...?"

"And then you'll see your precious Akin."

"Deal?"

Sighing, Azure mumbled"Deal."

"_What_?" said the man, tantalizing Azure

"**DEAL**" Azure screamed at his face,.

"Ok, then-_you_ are the fire in Akin's heart-the flickering flame, and the candle is Akin.I am the lantern,I hold your love in balance."

"_What_?"

"I hold your love in balance-Akin owe's me, and if he does not pay me-he give's you up to me."

"_no._"

"Yes."

"No-no that's not true,"

"Oh yes,yes it is."

"Now..."

"Now what?"

"Now Akin."

"Oh-right" gesturing to someone he smiled and said " Here is your wish to see dear Akin" .Moving to one side, Azure saw Akin, he was bound with a chain with one of the 'mans' men holding the metal chain.

There was blood running down Akins face, and a large red scabby patch above his forehead

"Azure" he yelled trying to to pull away from the guards grasp, only succeeding in falling to his knee's.

Azure tried to run over to him, but another man pulled her back, she sent an imploring look to the 'man'. Watching her he said to her captor"Let her go".

She stumbled over to Akin crying.

"Akin "she said "What happened to you? Are you alright?"

Cradling his head in her arms, she whispered "I love you"

"I-I love you t-to" he said weakly, looking into her eye's.

Azure tried to wipe away some of the blood with her ragged sleeve. She ran her fingers through his chestnut hair, dried with blood. He winced as her sleeve touched his wound.

"I'm so s..sorry"he mumbled to her, "Don't worry"Azure whispered back, a tear sliding down her grazed cheek.


	4. A Hope In The Dark of Night

The voice slid through her dreams,slicing with the graceful ease of a sharpened sword.

"_Azure_". Her dream,faded away,to her and Akin,dancing in the paddock,sitting on the farm swings,running through the fields together.

"_Azure_!"the voice sounded urgent now,the dream once again slipped from Azures grasp,to Azure holding Akins head,"I'm sorry"his voice fading away,into the darkness.

A hand clamped over Azure's pale lips, her eyes opening wide in fear,"Mmpph"she yelled in vain.

"_Sshh_"said the voice floating through the darkness.

A face came to view, it was a young,sturdy face,not hansom,but not ugly,it was a face that made her trust, and not fear.

"What are you doing?"whispered Azure, her reply a warning finger brought to her lips.

Azure was back in a dark room,after seeing Akin,they had dragged him away,and tied Azure and thrown her back on the concrete floor.

The 'faces' body was big and muscular, sitting Azure up he loosened her bonds. "Thank you"Azure whispered to the man, he helped her up,and solely relying on his strength to hold her, she staggered to the door.

Taking her up a dimly lit passageway, the man tread soundlessly on the heavy carpets, Azure's feet though making a scuffing noise. He picked her up gently, his touch soft, and gentle.

He carried her down a narrow stairway, and outside,into some sort of a courtyard, to a starry night. Azure slid from his arms, onto a horse, bridled and waiting patiently, the breeze floating in her loose, tangled hair.

He hoisted himself onto the horse behind Azure, and draped a heavy, warm cloak around her shoulders. He patted his horse,and then galloped out of the courtyard.

This had all happened rather quickly,and Azure had still no idea what was happening,so she said to the man, "What is happening to me?"

"I'm rescuing you"he said,in her ear to be heard over the galloping horse

"Why"she said back to him

"Tomorrow you where to be hung,as payment to Narfus"

"Narfus?Who is that?"

"The man in the room,the room with the candles"

"Oh...What's your name?"

"Sebastian"

"Sebastian,...sebastian"whispered Azure rolling it around in her mouth like a sweet taste.

The wind was blasting Azure, bitingly cold, freezing the bone. Azure shivered and clutched the cloak more tightly around her slim body.

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"Azure, wake up" Sebastian said, gently shaking Azures shoulders.

She had fallen asleep over the long journey.

"Mmm"she mumbled, as she opened her eye's, she sat upright, feeling quite embarrassed.

"We're here now"he said helping her off the horse.

"Thank you, for saving me, Sebastian" Azure said,"thank you"she said again in a quieter tone. "But, who are you? Why did you risk saving me?"

"Because I saw you, I was one of the men in the Candle Room. I once was also a prisoner of Narfus, and He took me as a guard instead of killing me, it was a risk he was willing to take I guess. I knew what they would do to you, in front of Akin so that he would feel your pain" he said, "There was one time in the night were the guard is on the other side of the hall, but the slightest sound will summon him."

"Why would you risk your life for me though?" asked Azure, clearly confused

"I know that I will never match up to Akin in your mind but, I saved you because...Because I love you." he said taking her hand

"What! Ugh, THAT IS DISGUSTING, You know I love Akin, Don't be gross." she yelled, tearing her hand from his.

Azure ran down the small grassed hill, and stumbled down by the edge of a stream, the bubbling water miming her anger.

Sebastian sat next to her, her anger slowly subsiding.

"I think you should just go now" she said her gaze set on the glistening water.

"Just remember, I'll love you no matter what you do"

"Just...go"


	5. The Tower

**Well, I thought that I should devote some time to my ficathon pieces which I have abandoned for several months. Even though I had an incurable writers block and could not for the life of me think what to put up for the last several months, I think I have finally gotten over it, and now I have to study what I wrote last, because I can't remember were I left off, or the name of my main character. And after that conjure something up for your reading pleasure.**

**And Iliana-Punk. You didn't read the last chapter! I can't believe it! I will repeat what Delia called me again-Punk!**

**SO here it is. And if I have skipped something vital don't blame it on me-it's the writers block's fault.**

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Azure sat, huddling on the bank, the rivers icy fingers brushing over her feet. The wind whipped her amber hair, and froze her pale arms.

She shivered. She knew she had to go to her tower. But something was stopping her. Something she didn't know.

Perhaps it was utter surrender to imprisonment beyond her own control, or that she would be locked away for a reason she didn't understand.

Her thin white dress flapped in the cool wind, deciding her fate for her.

She would die if she stayed out.

Azure pulled up her feet, and stood up grasping her bare shoulders. She moved to the door of the tower looming above her. She took a deep breath, and looked down at the brass knob on the door. She shut her eye's and pulled it open.

The door creaked as it opened, and a rush of warm air flew out, and vanished in the gale. It was dark inside the circular stone room, shadows lurking in the corners like an ancient tomb. Azure stepped in, and was encased in darkness.

The air was stuffy, and stale, and mice scattered away from the light from the open door.

She pulled the door shut, and blindness crept over her. She groped along the walls. Her hands fell against a shelf on one side. She felt the dusty surface, and found a long waxy tube, a candle. Azure took it, and felt for the wick. She gripped it, and rubbed it against the stone. It sparked and flickered, until it was a steady blaze.

Azure swept it's light around the room. At one side was a sink and cupboards. A table stood at the other side, caked in dust. Stairs rose up on wall, circling the room, and in the far corner, shadows threatening to take it, stood a small door, the grooves in it the only thing distinguishing it from the darkness.

Azure stepped to the door, and held up her candle. a little window was carved in the top, but bars shielded the inside.

She went to open the door, but stopped. Bolts secured the door. She pulled at them, but the bolts, ridden with rust simply fell off, and rolled across the wooden floor. Azure flinched at the crash that echoed around the room, and then proceeded to open the door. Something else hindered her.

A slow, pitiful and mournful groan rose from the pit of the shadowed room.

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**Well...come on feedback wanted here! J/K apart from you Iliana. If you don't review this chapter, I will personally seek you out with my rolling pin.**

**And also because nobody bothered to review chapter four, I cannot reply to any. So there! ;D**


	6. A Prisoner

**Argh! So far no body's reviewed my other chapter either! I'm going to have to remove that comment when somebody finally does...**

**Anyway, I'm doing a blast of chapters on this story, so here's another one for whoever's following this enjoyment. **

**Ili! Please don't make me feel abandoned and lonely, please review? :( (P.s. I'm not feeling sorry for myself!)**

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The groaning dug into Azures heart. She flinched. It sounded so horrible and sad.

She didn't know whether to run and hide, or to comfort whatever creature was making that pitiful noise.

She breathed deeply. If she was going to be looked up in this prison for however long, she was going to be stuck with whoever that was. She may as well face up to it now.

She groaned to herself.

A stench of rot wafted out of the door. Whatever was in there must have been in there a while.

Azure gagged, and shoved her short sleeve in her mouth, heaving. With her other hand she gripped the wavering candle. It was now or never.

She stepped forward.

"_W-who is i_t?" She feebly whispered, her dry throat only emitting the sound as a croak. She cleared her throat and started again.

"Who_ is_ it?"

Another groan emitted from the dark room. It sounded so pitiful and helpless, and yet so repelling and fowl. Azure ran her fingers through her messy hair, deciding whether to leave the prisoner for dead, or go and rescue it.

She couldn't just leave it. It just wasn't humane to leave it to die.

She stumbled forward, dreading what lurked before her.

She gripped the iron bars at the window, and pulled the door ajar. She waved the candle inside.

All the light lit up was for stone walls. She waved it lower.

A bench, or maybe a table? A empty lamp, swinging discarded on a nail driven into the wall, a heap of moth eaten blankets.

The pile moved.

Azure held back a squeak, and fixed the light on the moving pile. A head appeared, bruised and swollen, tousled and hairy.

Bloodshot eye's stared back at her, blinking in the harsh light. A gash, filled with blood glimmered in the candles rays. The blood wove a river down the mans forehead, before dripping into his blankets.

Overcome with a rush of pity for the man, Azure stepped into the room, and stooped down to look at him. In the dark light, she couldn't look at him properly, but something felt familiar.

She scooped her arm under his armpit, and helped him to his feet, the man willingly allowing Azure to help him.

She took him to the main room, and sat him on a rickety chair, and lent his head on the table. She then swept the light around the room to find a window. Upon finding one she opened it, and the room was blanketed in light, and the stuff dank air left, and was left with the smell of rain, falling outside.

Azure tapped over to the man, and examined his wound. Blood continued to flow from the recent gash.

She tore a strip from the hem of her soiled dress, and wetting it she wound it round his head, his loose brown curls spilling over the top.

As the suns rays broke through the horizon, they caught his rugged face, and Azure gasped.

"_Akin?_"

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**Well?**


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